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August 1st, 2020 19:00
Windows 8 Product Key
Hello, I have a Dell Inspiron 15z 5523 bought from you years ago. However, I forgot and don't know what my product key is. Please send me my Windows 8 Product Key at my email . I can give you my Service Tag once you emailed me. Thank you.
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ejn63
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August 2nd, 2020 04:00
Windows 8 product keys are embedded in the EEPROM on the mainboard. IF you're reinstalling Windows 8 (or upgrading to 10), the installer will retrieve the product key from the system board.
jphughan
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August 2nd, 2020 07:00
@Ana Cruz the answer from @ejn63 is correct, except that if it's a key for Windows 8.0, then the Windows 8.1 installer won't pick it up. And vice versa. Even though Microsoft gave Windows 8.1 out as a free upgrade from 8.0, they issued separate license keys for each version, and the installers of each version don't recognize each other's keys. But even if you have an 8.0 key and try to use an 8.1 installer, you might find that you can still perform online activation afterward, so during the installer just click "I don't have a product key" and select the correct edition (Home vs. Pro, whichever your system came with).
jphughan
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August 2nd, 2020 08:00
@nyc10036 Not sure activation will work if the OP doesn't know the original product key. I've never tried activating Windows 10 on a system purely from an embedded key from an older Windows release on a system that did NOT claim the free Windows 10 upgrade during the official period. Then again, even if the OP has to buy a Windows 10 license, I suppose there's a case to be made that doing so would be worth it to use Windows 10 rather than Windows 8 at this point. The question though would be whether starting with Windows 8, allowing it to activate based on the embedded key, and THEN performing an in-place upgrade would have resulted in an activated Windows 10 installation without needing to buy a license.
nyc10036
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August 2nd, 2020 08:00
@Ana Cruz
Unless you are especially enamored with Windows 8, I would do a clean installation of Windows 10. During the installation, skip the step asking for a product key. Once Windows 10 is installed, connect your laptop with Ethernet cable to your router then Activate.
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nyc10036
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August 2nd, 2020 09:00
@jphughan
Last year I did the free upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 10 with a couple of Lenovo Thinkpad X131e. The hard drives were wiped clean when I got them. I installed Windows 10. I don't know if the laptops originally came with 8 or 8.1
Last week I did the free upgrade from Window 7 Home Premium to Windows 10 Home by using the Windows 7 key on the label on the bottom of the laptop.
It is probably worth a try. I think Windows 10 may be more forgiving with the Windows 8 vs Windows 8.1 issue.